Keyboard for stringed instruments.



No. 808,510. PATENTED DEG.Z6,1905. G. P. BUCHANAN.

KEYBOARD FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIGATION FILED OCT. 13, 1904.

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KEYBOARD FOR STRINGBD INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.13.1904.

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@(lfaangga UNITED STATES PATENT orrroa KEYBOAR'D FOR STRINGEDINSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1905.

Application filed October 13, 1904. Serial No. 228,270.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. BUCHANAN, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State01 Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements inKeyboards for Stringed Instruments, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements instringed instruments; and it relates more particularlyto violins,violas, violoncellos, bass, and doublebass instruments.

The present invention consists of a keyboard which may be easilyattached to and detached from the fingerboard of a violin or stringedinstrument, and this keyboard is so constructed that it will be an easymatter to play in any difficult position upon the violin, not only thefirst, third, fifth, seventh positions, but also the second, fourth, andsixth positions.

My invention further contemplates a device of the above-describedcharacter that may be readily adjusted to conform to the plane of thestrings; furthermore, to provide a series of keys that will have a greatleverage to produce the higher notes upon the strings, the latter beingparticularly desirable upon instruments upon which a high bridge isemployed, for the reason that it requires a greater pressure to producethe high notes, as is well known in the art.

The invention broadly consists in the removable keyboard attached to thefingerboard of a violin and having keys resting upon the stringsthereof, which keys are pressed to produce harmonics by changing thevibration length of the string to alter the pitch. The keyboard isfurther constructed whereby beginners in learning to manipulate theinstrument will be aided in the perfect handling of the keyboard, andpositive notes may be produced from the violin by the exact fingering ofthe keyboard facilitated by my improved attachment.

With the above and other objects in view the invention finally residesin the novel con struction, combination, and arrangement of parts, whichwill be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically pointedout in the claims, and, referring to the drawings accompanying thisapplication, like numerals of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of myimproved keyboard attached in position upon the neck of a violin, thelatter being broken away. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary underneathview of my improved keyboard. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective viewof my improved keyboard. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my improvedkeyboard attached in position upon the neck of a violin, the latterbeing shown in side elevation and partly broken away. Fig. 5 is a sideelevational view of a portion of the keyboard. Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive,are detail perspective views of different forms of keys which I mayemploy in connection with the keyboard; and Figs. 9 to 13, inclusive,are detail views of the appurtenant parts of the keys illustrated inFigs. 6 to 8, respectively.

In the drawings the reference-muneral 1 designates the body portion ofthe Violin, to which is attached the usual form of neck 2, upon which issecured the finger-board 2 and the keyboard 3, the forward portion ofthe neck carrying the head 4. The rear end of the keyboard is providedupon each side with forwardly-depending bars 5 5, and each one of thesebars is provided with a grippingyoke 6, which is actuated by a set-screw7, that passes through the bars 5 and engages the yoke to force the sameinwardly against the neck 2 of the violin. The bars are also providedwith set-screws S, the heads of which are adapted to rest upon the bodyportion of the violin, and the rear end of the keyboard 3 may beelevated by adjusting said screws. In securing such adjustment setscrews7 are loosened, so as to release the gripping-yokes 6 from engagementwith the edges of the finger-board, and the screws then are turned oneway or the other until the keyboard is adjusted to the proper heightabove the strings of the instrument. The screws 7 are then tightened, soas to bring the gripping-yokes 6 again into contact with the edges ofthe fingerboard. The forward end of the keyboard is provided with ahinged yoke 9, having a slot 10 formed therein, and this hinged yoke issecured by a setscrew 11 to a member 12, which is substantially of adouble-T shape. This member is secured to the head 4 of the neck by thehinged straps 14, which engage the underneath face of the head. Themember 12 is further held upon the head by the screws 15 15, whichelevate the member 12 and cause the straps 14 to engage the under faceof the head and rigidly hold said member upon the head 4 01 tne violin.

The keyboard comprises a plate of metal, which is preferably ofaluminium, and the sides of said keyboard are flanged, as indicated at16 16. The plate is also provided with sets of ribs or partitions 17 1717, which extend longitudinally of the keyboard, and on account of thekeyboard being wider at one end than at the other the space between saidpartitions will be tapering, and between each set of partitions and theside walls I intend to mount the keys of my improved attachment forviolins. Between each set of partitions the slots 18 18 are formed, andin said slots the keys are mounted. In Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, I haveillustrated different forms of keys that may be used, and I will firstdescribe the preferred form of key and the manner of mounting the sameupon the keyboard. Reference now being had to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive,the referencenumeral 19 designates one of the keys, which is mountedabove the E-string of the violin. The keys of my im proved finger-boardare substantially identical in construction, with the exception thatsome of the keys are provided with a greater leverage than the otherkeys, and the keyhead is provided with adjustable features, which areclearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The reference-numerals 20 and21 designate two cut-away portions formed in the under face of thekey-head, these cut-away portions forming a depending lug 22, and insaid lug is mounted a screw 23. This screw is adapted to carry thecompressing-block 24, and I have provided said screw whereby this blockmay be adjusted to accurately engage the strings of the violin at theproper place to sound a perfect note. In Fig. 6 of the drawings I haveillustrated a corrugated turn-nut 25, which is provided with openings20, whereby if the same cannot be rotated by hand a pin may be insertedin one of the openings to slightly rotate the same. Thecompressing-block 24 may be detachably secured upon the screw 23 byproviding said screw with a head 27 and passing a pin 28 through thecompressing-block 24 to engage the slotted end 27 of the screw. Thesecompressing-blocks are also provided with a concavity 29 in their underface, and in this concavity a piece of rosin or hard substance maybesecured by a pin 30, this rosin or hard sub stance assuring a better andmore perfect note from the string which it engages when the bow is drawnacross said string. The reference-numeral 31 designates the shank of thekey, which is provided with an opening 32, in which is fixed a pin 35,whereby the same may be hinged between the partitions of the keyboard.Before describing the manner of mounting the keys within the keyboardreference will be had to Figs. 7 and 8, wherein another form ofindependent adjustment is provided for the compressing-blocks of thekeys. I do not care to limit myself to the specific form of adjustmentshown in Fig. 6. Therefore I have illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 amodified form of construction which accomplishes practically the sameresults as the adjustment illustrated in Fig. 6. The under face of thekey in Fig. 7, as designated by 19, is cut away, as indicated at 20, andin this cut-away portion is mounted the compressing-block 24, that issimilar in all respects to the compressing-block 24, heretoforedescribed, with the exception that the screw 23 is threaded in saidblock and the end of the screw provided with a slot 23, whereby thescrew may be rotated to move in the head to adjust the position of thecompressing-block 24. In Fig. 8 still another form of adjustment isillustrated, which em bodies the features of adjustment illustrated inFigs. 6 and 7. The key 19 in this figure is provided with recesses 20'and 21 and a compressing-block 24 is mounted in the recess 21 by a screw23, and a nut 25 may be employed for adjusting the compressing-block24*; but in case it is not convenient to use said nut the screw 23 maybe rotated by the slotted end of said screw.

As heretofore stated, the keys are practically-identical in constructionwith the exception of the leverage of each key, and by referring toFigs. 2 and. 3 of the drawings it will be seen that the shank portion ofthe key 19 is considerably shorter than the shank portion of the nextsucceeding key 33 and that the shank portion of the next key, asindicated by the reference-numeral 34, is longer than any of the keys 19and 33. Every succeeding key after the third set of keys, as designatedby the reference-numerals 34, is

constructed with the long shanks 31, and by referring to Figs. 3 and 6of the drawings it will be seen that these shank portions areconstructed at one side of the body portion or head of each key. Thisconstruction is employed whereby the keys may be mounted in a compactform and yet have a sufficient leverage. The shank portion of each keyis hinged in the partitions by pins 35, and each pin is provided with aspring 36, the one end of said spring being held in the pin, while theother end is wrapped around the pin and engages the keyboard 3, asdesignated by the reference-numeral 37. These springs positively insurethe return movement of the key when the same has been depressed, andsaid springs are mounted between each set of partitions 17 and the sideflanges 16. The manner of arranging the keys is clearly shown in Figs. 2and 3 of the drawings, and 1t wlll be observed from these figures thatthe shank portions of every other keyfor instance, the keys designatedby the notes F, G, A, B, C-sharp, and D-sharpare pivoted upon one side,while the keys between these keys and designated by the notes F-sharp,G-sharp, A-sharp, C, D, and E are pivoted upon the opposite side, thisconstruction insuring a compact form and a sufficient leverage to eachkey to operate the same. Owing to the fact that to play the notes G D AE of the seventh position a greater depression of the key is required,it is necessary that these keys have a greater leverage than the keys ofthe first position, this being on account of the strings of a violinbeing a greater distance away from the neck of the violin in the seventhposition than in the first position.

It will be observed from Fig. 1 of the drawings that I have providedeach key with a symbol of the note which will be played by depressingsaid keys, this feature assisting beginners in the art of playing aviolin to learn the same. It will also be seen by the construction ofthe keyboard that it can be readily attached to and detached from theneck of a violin by loosening the screws 7 7 and the screw 11, thusproviding a violin in its natural condition.

It will be noted that various changes may be made in the details ofconstruction without departing from the general spirit and scope of theinvention.

Having fully described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a removable keyboard for stringed instruments, the combination ofa plurality of independently 4 mounted spring pressed key-levers, a keycarried by each lever and extending above the upper surface of thekeyboard, a movable compressing-block carried by each key, means foradjusting each compressing-block longitudinally of the key by which itis carried and means for securing the keyboard to an instrument,substantially as described.

2. The combination with a stringed instrument, of a removable keyboardattached to said instrument, a plurality of spring-sustained key-levers,each independentlymount ed in said keyboard, a key carried byeach saidkey-lever, an adjustable compressing-block carried by each key, meansfor positively adjusting each compressing-block longitudinally of thekey on which it is carried, means for securing said keyboard to aninstrument and means for vertically adjusting the keyboard on theinstrument, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a stringed instru ment, of a keyboard, a clampcarried by the inner end of said keyboard, comprisingoutwardly-extending, downwardly-curved arms, and horizontal screwsextending through said arms and adapted to bear against the finger-boardof the instrument, means for vertically adjusting the inner end of thekeyboard relatively to the finger-board of the instrument, a secondclamp adapted to engage the head of the instrument, an adjustableconnection between said last-named clamp and the outer end of thekeyboard.

4. The combination with a stringed instrument, a keyboard arranged onthe neck thereof, a clamp carried by the keyboard and adapted to engagethe linger-board of the instrument, means for vertically adjusting thekeyboard relatively to the finger-board of the instrument, a clampsecured to the head of the instrument, a hinged and slotted yokeconnecting said keyboard to said last-named clamp.

5. The combination with a violin and a keyboard, of a clamp secured tothe head of said violin, a slotted yoke for detachably securing saidkeyboard to said clamp, means for detachably securing one end of saidkeyboard to said violin, and means for vertically adjusting the innerend of said keyboard, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE P. BUCHANAN. Witnesses:

H. O. EVERT, E. E. POTTER.

